Seeing Red
by Meta Ray Mek
Summary: Tomar-Tu is kidnapped by a Red Lantern, who coerces him into helping her in a quest for "just vengeance" against a member of the Sinestro Corps. He must face the difficult morality of the situation, all while trying to stay alive at the same time.
1. Chapter 1

_**Seeing Red**_**  
**by Meta Ray Mek

**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing, nor do I make a profit from this. All the characters -except for Anan-Su and Sister Tariro- belong to DC Comics.  
-

**PREFACE**: This story takes place in a slight AU, though I can safely say nothing after 'Blackest Night' quite happened, heh.

Brother Sepdifer is from the Stone Arch children's book 'Battle of the Blue Lanterns'. Razer is from 'Green Lantern: TAS', though he is still an antagonist, as I didn't want to write Bleez. Anan-Su and Sister Tariro are my own fan creations.

Aside from that... enjoy.

* * *

_**Sector 0, Oa**_

Tomar-Tu hadn't intended on staying as long as he did that morning. But, as there were no pressing major threats in his sector, he felt he could afford a little time to hang around _Warriors_ with his friend, Kyle Rayner, before going on patrol.

"Then Gardner made the mistake of saying 'That's what she said'." Kyle laughed. "You should've seen the look on Sora's face when she gave him one," he punched his open left hand. "right in the kisser."

Tomar-Tu rolled his eyes. As Kyle spoke, he wondered why the humans seemed to enjoy pushing peoples' buttons, some more so than others.

"I'm sure Gardner was pleased with Natu's... _response_," Tomar-Tu said.

"He got a couple teeth knocked out, and there was a ton of blood coming out of his nose. Truth be told, I didn't feel sorry for him. He didn't seem too phased by it, either." Kyle took a sip of his drink. "Enough about me, what about you? Is everything going alright?"

The xudarian rapt his fingers on the cold glass of ice water. "As well as they could be. There hasn't been any major disturbances in my sector as of late, which may or may not be a good thing. The Vega system seems to be keeping to itself, too. As long as Agent Orange stays there, I can sleep better at night."

Kyle tipped his glass in Tomar-Tu's direction. "Well, as we say on Earth, no news is good news."

"Dubious as that saying is, you may have a point." Tomar-Tu sighed. "I have to admit, it's a welcome break from the grisly murders that had been going on for the past few months."

The human stopped mid-drink. "Is Romat-Ru back? I thought he mostly hung out with the Sinestro Corps these days."

Tomar-Tu's head swayed side to side. "No, thankfully he's not. The murders have the hallmarks of 2814's own Red Lantern. Victims burned down to the bone, major destruction of property..."

"Blood everywhere?" Kyle interjected.

"Can't forget the blood," Tomar-Tu sighed. "The strange connection is that all the victims are parents. Yet, the children in all of these cases have been spared. Physically, that is. I get this knot in my heart just thinking about what psychological damage has been done to them."

Any trace of levity vanished from the human's face. "Damn. So this is basically a bizarro Romat-Ru?"

"As far as I'm aware, yes. But she hasn't struck Xudar in a while. I have to wonder if she's moved on to another planet, or another sector altoget-"

Tomar-Tu had very little time to finish his sentence, as his ring signaled an incoming message.

Kyle quickly hid his drink from view. "If that's who I think it is, I better get going before he sees me lollygagging here."

"Oh, that's right." Tomar-Tu narrowed his eyes. "Weren't you supposed to mop the floors of his office as punishment for that prank day you humans celebrate?"

The human shot up from his chair. "It's not my fault he fell for it!" He exclaimed, pressing his splayed fingers against his chest as he spoke. "I sure as hell didn't know John had _that_ good of a poker face!"

With a laugh, Tomar-Tu shooed Kyle away. "We can finish this conversation later. I better take this before I-"

A holographic image sprung up from Tomar-Tu's ring, which was his sign that he needed to leave the bar at once. Before him stood a translucent Salaak, his face contorted into the most sour expression he could manage. And that alone, the xudarian thought, was an accomplishment in of itself.

"Lantern Tu, you _BETTER_ have a very good explanation as to why you took so long to answer," Salaak snapped. "especially when your homeworld is on a Theta alert!"

Tomar-Tu felt the blood sink to his feet. "_A theta alert?_ What's the situation, Salaak?"

Salaak's spindly fingers pressed screens unseen. "A Red Lantern has been spotted on Xudar. Name is still unknown, but it is the xudarian female from before. My intel indicates that she is attacking an outdoor shopping plaza, near the densely populated downtown area in the capital city."

"For how long?"

"I only now received word from the local authorities. They are being uploaded to your ring as we speak," said Salaak. "As with all Red Lanterns, you are authorized to use lethal force."

Tomar-Tu stroked his chin. He wasn't overly fond of the idea of using "You mean I have to kill her? Can't I arrest her and put her in a ScienCell?"

"Under normal circumstances, I would encourage you not to kill, but this is not a normal circumstance. Red Lanterns lack any and all awareness of their surroundings. They are, as Lantern Gardner puts it, 'mad dogs'," Salaak answered. "You may attempt to arrest her, but be aware you have thousands of innocent civilians hanging in the balance."

The xudarian nodded. "Understood. Lantern Tu, out."

* * *

_**Sector 2813, Xudar**_

A half-charred corpse hit the ground, leaving behind a trail of still hot blood as it skidded to a halt before a group of horrified onlookers, all of whom were too stunned -and afraid- to say a single word.

Striding up to the body, was a tall, female xudarian, called Anan-Su. Clad in the colors of the Red Lantern Corps, she surveyed the frozen crowd of people that surrounded her. Blood dripped from the corners of her beak. Casually, she wiped it off with the back of her hand; spitting out a couple drops on the body for good measure.

She gestured to the corpse. "See this man here? An alcoholic. Whenever he was drunk, he'd beat his three children for the hell of it. Well," she kicked the corpse. "not anymore. His children are free from his selfish outbursts."

Anan-Su's eyes turned to a middle-aged woman to her right. "You emotionally abuse your daughter for simply existing, do you not?"

The woman gasped. "No! I... What the hell are y-"

A gush of acidic blood spewed from her mouth, burning the lady alive. Anan-Su sneered as her dying screams sent people around her into an immediate panic and mass chaos. She did nothing to stop them from running. She only laughed at the pandemonium that surrounded her.

"_YOU'RE NOTHING BUT WRETCHED FILTH WHO DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE!_" She screeched. "Run now, you disgusting creatures, but you will never be able to hide from my wrath!" She screamed, throwing her whip construct at incoming law enforcement. "The children you have wronged _WILL BE AVENGED!_"

In the blink of an eye, Anan-Su found herself thrown to the ground by a translucent, green object of indiscernible shape or size. Her head hit the pavement, blacking out her vision for a moment. Some of the screams quickly turned to cheers.

"Red Lantern of 2813, you are under arrest by order of the Green Lantern Corps!" exclaimed a familiar voice. It was one that made her blood boil.

Struggling to stand on her feet, Anan-Su beheld another xudarian. She recognized him right away as Tomar-Tu. She could feel her temper rising at his very presence. There was an overwhelming urge to kill him on the spot. Yet, in the back of her mind, what clarity she had reminded her not to kill him. Anan-Su needed him. He was the key to her ultimate goal, after all.

Anan-Su rose into the air, with Tomar-Tu following suit. "Oh, it's you," she grumbled. "I find it sad that you abandon your people when they need you, yet you come when the scum of our society is getting what they deserve."

Tomar-Tu's face contorted into a scowl. "First off, I never abandoned my people willingly," he explained, firmly. "Second, there is no need for grossly disproportionate justice like this!" He pointed down to the corpses. "I hate what those people did as much as you do. But more violence is not the answer to violence!"

"Says the person who is authorized to kill," Anan-Su snorted.

The Green Lantern balled his hands into tight fists. "I don't kill if I don't have to." He pointed his ring at her. "And I certainly don't want to kill you! Unlike my superior, I believe you'd be better off sitting in a ScienCell reflecting on the damage you've done to the children you claim you're helping!"

Infuriated, a surge of blood spewed from Anan-Su's mouth. White hot anger consumed every inch of nerve and flesh. Any semblance of common sense she had vanished, and now she was intent on bathing his corpse in her bile.

"_YOU SHUT UP!_" She charged forward, gripping him by the neck. "_YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY THAT! I'M ONLY HELPING SAVE THOSE CHILDREN FROM HARM_"

An unknown force socked her in the stomach, sending the Red Lantern flying backwards by several feet. The air was sucked clean from her lungs for only one agonizing moment. Upon coming to, she briefly glimpsed a green boxing glove vanish into the ether.

"Not everyone who hits or yells at a child wants to intentionally hurt or kill them!" Tomar-Tu exclaimed. "What about the children whose parents you killed simply because they raised their voices at them? What if they were loving parents who were just trying to do their jobs?"

Anan-Su cracked her whip at him. "Lies drip from your mouth!"

He darted over to his left, missing the whip entirely.

"I pity you," Tomar-Tu remarked. He swung a giant hammer at her, only to have it shatter as she spewed blood in his direction. "Whatever hurt you have inside you that caused all of this, I-"

"_YOU KNOW NOTHING OF MY PAIN!_"

Anan-Su proceeded to claw him, shredding a portion of the fabric on his left shoulder and leaving behind claw marks, feathers, and blood.

Reeling, Tomar-Tu threw up a large shield, of which Anan-Su promptly charged into at full-speed, head-first. Upon impact, she felt her common sense returning, halting her in her tracks when she saw the other xudarian clutching his shoulder with both hands.

'_No_...' She pressed a hand to her forehead. '_today is not the day to kill him._'

She floated over to him, holding her ring at eye level. "You're lucky that sheet of yours knocked some sense back into me. I believe I'll spare you today."

Tomar-Tu, who was in the process of healing the wound on his shoulder, looked up at her. "You'll... _what?_"

Seizing the opportunity, Anan-Su constructed a tonfa and promptly clubbed Tomar-Tu over the head, with enough force to render him unconscious. He was about to fall straight out of the sky, until she caught him mid-fall. He would be no use to her if he was a limp sack of flesh and broken bones, she thought.

With a satisfied smirk, she hoisted him over her shoulder, taking care to encase him in a red energy bubble to protect him from the vacuum of space, and then proceeded to fly off into the stratosphere.

* * *

_**Sector 2628, Odym**_

Watching from atop the crest of a hill, Brother Sepdifer kept a keen eye upon a slyggian, who was soaring madly about in the air. Amusing at it was at first, he'd become concerned that his protege was starting to use errant judgement, as she was moments away from careening straight on into the mountain's side.

"Sister Tariro!" Sepdifer called out. "Come down here, now!"

The slyggian came hurtling down to the ground with a scream. Her body landed, shoulders first, before rolling to a stop two or three feet away from him. For a couple minutes, she lay limp, with only a low moan escaping her mouth as she then struggled to stand up.

"I.. I meant to do that," muttered Tariro.

Sepdifer's head swayed side to side. "Sister, over the last few days, I have come to understand that you've a tendency to rush into things head first," said Sepdifer. He held up his ring, bathing her in a healing glow. "landing, however, is always feet first."

"_Gruege,_" Tariro mumbled. "flying is harder than it looks."

Sepdifer offered her a hand to help her up onto her feet. Thick, pink fingers gripped his, and with minimal effort, he lifted her up from the ground.

"Ah, but once you master the art of flight, then so much will be opened up to you. You must have patience," he quipped. "Did I provide you with adequate healing?"

She brushed her arms and stomach. "My knees feel like _grizzlespit_ and my heart is racing a mile a minute. Otherwise, I feel dandy."

Sepdifer sighed. The new recruit was unlike any of the Blue Lanterns that came before her, namely in that she had a mouth, and like the rest of her species, she wasn't afraid to use it. He was perfectly aware of the reputation slyggians had developed over the centuries. He only had to remember the initial expression on Brother Warth's face the moment he'd laid eyes upon Tariro.

He remained confident that she was fit for the job. She passed the three-day test of character, and her zeal to get out into the wider galaxy to spread the light of Hope was inspiring, if not contagious. After all, the ring did choose her for a reason.

"Yes, well, healing is only a fraction of what we are capable of, Sister," said Sepdifer. "To be able to grasp what you are fully capable of doing as a Blue Lantern, you must be within range of a Green Lantern."

She looked at him, bewildered. "Why would we need a Green Lantern? I thought our rings were capable of the same feats as theirs."

"Ah, That is the common misconception. Hope is indeed a powerful force. It is said to be one of the strongest in the entire Spectrum. We are able to rejuvenate dying stars, healing those near death, and the ability to depower the light of Fear," said Sepdifer. "However, without the Green Light, we are virtually powerless. For you see, Sister, Hope needs the Willpower to enact it."

Tariro's eyebrows scrunched upward. "Somehow, I must've missed the fine print on that one."

"I would not fret too much. Do not let that stop you from spreading hope to those who need it." Sepdifer tilted his head. "I have made arrangements with the Lantern in your sector to help in showing you the next step."

His protege folded all four arms together across her thin chest. "So soon?"

"As it turns out, the Green Lantern of your sector had followed us to Odym, out of concern that our departure was some sort of... disturbance," Sepdifer explained. "While you were on your three day's evaluation, I explained the situation to her. She seemed quite eager to have a Blue Lantern readily available in her sector. Miss Rrab agreed to help me teach you how to wield the full capabilities of your ring."

The slyggian's eyes widened. "Rrab? As in, Arisia Rrab?"

"Yes. Is that going to be a problem?"

Tariro laughed. "Problem? Oh, no! It's just that my step-daughter, Sybelle, idolizes the Green Lantern. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I tell her I got to stand shoulder to lower shoulder with the one and only Arisia Rrab!"

* * *

_**Sector 2814, Ysmault**_

Pain.

That was all Tomar-Tu knew of at that moment. All the joints in his bones, every fiber of his muscles, and each nerve ending under his skin, screamed in collective agony.

A dull ache originated at his wrists. It hurt with every involuntary twitch of his hands and fingers. All he wanted was to scream out in agony in response, but no such sound ever came to pass. The screams only lodged themselves in his throat, alongside the uncontrollable urge to vomit.

His immediate surroundings suggested a repugnant, sulfuric smell, which only served to agitate his nausea further. Tomar-Tu could see vague shapes. Rock-like formations. Red blotches dotting the landscape. Shadowy figures moving about the environment in the distance. Though bleary-eyed at first, his eyes met with those of his captor, Anan-Su, who stood two feet away, with her arms folded tightly across her chest.

Another one of their own walked up to him. All he could see was a sickly blue face, with black markings under his sunken eyes and on his chin. Tomar-Tu couldn't recognize who this stranger was, as he'd never met him until now.

The stranger approached the crucified Tomar-Tu. "You bring a Green Lantern here, but you do not kill him?"

He pressed a hand to the xudarian's neck. "You may as well put him out of his misery, Anan-Su," the stranger said. "he appears to be one more beating short of death as it is. His blood could fuel the central bat-"

Anan-Su's 'answer' was an audible slap.

"When I _want_ your opinion, Razer, I'll _ask_ for it," grunted Anan-Su.

With the two of them standing right in front of him, Tomar-Tu couldn't help but be forced to smell the foul, acidic stench of their combined breath as they exchanged verbal blows. As his vision cleared up, he observed the two Red Lanterns jabbing one finger at the other's chest. It was only a matter of time before it turned into bloodshed, and he hoped he wouldn't be part of the collateral.

"When you bring one of _them_ to our planet, you are inviting trouble!" Razer pointed at Tomar-Tu. "For your sake, Atroctius _better_ know about this, lest we have an army of Green Lanterns descending on Ysmault. With him and Bleez both away, we're left vulnerable to attack!"

"Of course Atrocitus knows about this, you ass. He was the one who commanded me to do this in the first place!" Anan-Su snarled. Blood dribbled out of the corners of her beak. "You'd think I'd be so stupid as to defy his orders?"

Razer scoffed. "Please. Do you honestly want me to answer that?"

Anan-Su lunged forward, her talons swiping the width of Razer's shoulder. The young man retaliated by vomiting on her, only to have the action returned in kind. Summoning a black and red construct, Razer cracked a glowing whip, sending his fellow Red Lantern to the ground, knees first.

"I thought so," Razer scoffed. "Noble as your crusade is, you better hope your actions don't bring both the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps to our world."

"Oh, like the time you provoked the Star Sapphires into attacking us?" Anan-Su snorted as she rose to her feet. "Atrocitus was _so_ pleased about that one!"

Blood dripped through Razer's tightly closed lips. Tomar-Tu anticipated the young man would open his blood-filled mouth at any moment. Instead, Razer held up a fist to Anan-Su's face.

"Hmmph. You're lucky I don't have the time for this right now." Razer's eyes narrowed. He then floated upwards. "You're getting yourself in over your head, Anan-Su. Pray the Green Lanterns are more forgiving than Atrocitus will be if you screw everything up."

Anan-Su spat a stream of blood into the air after him as he flew away, muttering obscene remarks under her breath. "He's so full of himself! I don't know what Atrocitus sees in him!" Her gaze turned to him again. "Whatever. At least you're finally awake."

Tomar-Tu felt his stomach lurch as she glowered at him. "What... do you want with me?"

"Your full compliance in helping me kill Romat-Ru, that's what," Anan-Su snapped.

"Why do you need my help? Wouldn't you be able to," he grunted in pain as the nails burned his wrists. "kill him yourself?"

In response, she gripped his beak. "I might be a Red Lantern, but I'm not as stupid as you'd think. After Atrocitus baptized me in the blood ocean," She gestured to the vast sea of blood to her left. "some of my memories and intelligence came back. It's made my rage even stronger. But, it's also made me realize I'm no match against Romat-Ru's yellow power, alone. You, on the other hand, have had experience fighting him and others of their group."

Her grip tightened. "And you've had numerous chances to kill him. You didn't even try to do anything even before he joined their ranks. The blood of the children he's murdered is also on your hands."

As desperately as he wanted to defend his action -or non-action, in her eyes-, Tomar-Tu knew anything he might say would not convince her otherwise. Anan-Su wouldn't believe him if he told her he'd been a prisoner of war for an unknown amount of time.

"But, I'm feeling generous, and I'm giving you this chance to make up for your failures in protecting the helpless of our kind." She lifted her fist to eye level. "You and I will track down and kill Romat-Ru. Once he's dead, you're free to go."

"Kill him? He'd be better off locked away in a ScienCe-"

Tomar-Tu was yanked forward by his face. The construct nails that pinned him down to the wall refused to yield, causing a shrill scream to escape his mouth from the pain that seared through his arms and hands.

"_NO! HE MUST FACE THE SAME TYPE OF DEATH THAT THE CHILDREN DID!_" Anan-Su shrieked. Her eyes glowered, shining a bright red. Tomar-Tu saw bulging veins form all around her eyes, running down to her neck. "_THE SAME..._" She hesitated for a split second. "_THE SAME DEATH THAT MY NIECE AND NEPHEW SUFFERED!_"

She let go of his beak. The fire in her eyes died down, as did the throbbing veins that surrounded them.

"That's why he needs to die. Not only to avenge my niece and nephew," her breathing became labored. "but that other children, no matter what race, can be spared from that monster."

Knowing that any answer but 'yes' would end unfavorably for him, Tomar-Tu quickly concocted a plan to escape. He would agree to assist Anan-Su, but at the first available opportunity, he would contact the nearest Green Lantern -or Lanterns, if he was lucky enough to be in one of the sectors that had two assigned; four, if this took him to 2814- to help bring down the Yellow Ringbearer, and to arrest the irascible Red Lantern afterward.

It was a fool's plan. It was also his only choice, as if he even attempted to contact his fellow Lanterns then and there, she and a host of other Red Lanterns would murder him on the spot.

"Alright," he spoke up. "If it means you'll let me go in the end, then I'll help you."

Anan-Su's eyes flickered. "Do you mean it?"

"Do I have any other choice?" Tomar-Tu retorted.

He'd expected her to retaliate the same manner that she did to Razer. To his surprise, she took a step back. With the flick of her fist, the nails vanished into the air, and Tomar-Tu collapsed to the ground. Blood oozed from his hands to the dirt. Holding his ring close, he used what power he had to spare to heal the immediate physical wounds and any internal damage. Whatever other injuries would have to wait until he could return to Oa, or if a Blue Lantern appeared.

_Ring Capacity at 75%_

'_Hm. Tracking alone takes up at least a quarter of a ring's energy_,' thought Tomar-Tu. He rubbed his wrists, noticing the skin was now intact, yet his fingers were encrusted in blood. '_Just need to be smart with it after this._'

"Right. I may be able to track where Romat-Ru is, if not any Sinestro Corps members stationed in the area," Tomar-Tu summoned forth a flat screen, one that had a map of the three surrounding sectors. "It'll take me some time to pin down his location, but I promise you, I'll find him."

"Clever boy." Anan-Su cracked her knuckles. "I don't care how you do it, just do whatever it takes to locate Romat-Ru." She paused. "And remember, if you even attempt _anything_, your ass is mine."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sector**__** 0, **__**Oa**_

Kyle glanced at his hands, which had pruned over from his interaction with the bucket of water and wet sponge in his hands. He couldn't fathom how Salaak's office could get so dirty, when he was known for his meticulousness in other matters. He decided it wouldn't be wise to ask.

"Lantern Iolande, I am forwarding the coordinates to Pyrope. Lantern Natu will be waiting for you there." Salaak turned to face another screen. "Lantern N'gila, please report to Lantern Voz and await his instructions."

Upon observing that Salaak was facing the opposite direction from him, Kyle took a moment to roll off of his knees and sit down. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd stretched his legs, but judging by how oddly relaxing his knees felt afterward, it had been quite some time..

"Rayner, your second break is not for another twenty-two minutes," said Salaak.

Kyle groaned. "Oh come on. I can't stretch my legs after being on my knees the last few hours?"

Receiving no pithy retort from the slyggian, Kyle resumed the arduous task of scrubbing the baseboards. He hadn't ever spent this much time around Salaak -and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to again after this-, but he'd begun to notice a few things about him.

One was that he never seemingly took a break at all. Kyle had been there for close to four hours now, and not once did Salaak step away. As he brushed the sponge back and forth on a pipe covering, his mind wandered to how he could possibly function.

"So..." Kyle drew out the word long enough to get Salaak's attention. "do you ever take a break?"

Salaak narrowed his eyes at him. "If this is an attempt to weasel your way out of your punishment, you are not doing an effective job of it."

"No, I'm completely serious. How are you able to function without a break?"

There was no immediate answer.

"Fair enough," mumbled Kyle. "Sorry for trying to make a casual conversa-"

"In case you haven't noticed by now, _Earthman_, I am _working_. I have no time for your meaningless chatter that only serves as a distraction from both your duty and mine," Salaak snapped.

Undeterred by his superior's waspishness -and perhaps desperate for some form of conversation to allay the silent boredom-, Kyle decided to shift the conversation to another subject altogether.

"You know, I haven't heard you talking to Tomar-Tu at all recently," Kyle quipped.

Salaak pressed several buttons on a screen to his right. "That is because he hasn't checked in recently. I've received word that the Theta alert for Xudar has expired three hours ago, but I've come across no accounts that indicate what happened to Lantern Tu, or the Red Lantern for that matter."

Kyle knelt down onto the floor, resuming his work, as not to draw the slyggian's further ire.

"You're saying they completely dropped off the grid?" he asked.

"So it would appear. Regardless, Lantern Tu is a seasoned veteran of the Corps, as you very well know," Salaak responded casually, as he dragged his spindly fingers across a screen to his upper right. "I am certain he's handling the situation appropriately."

* * *

_**Sector**__** 2815, **__**Nitram **__**XII**_

Tomar-Tu's fellow Lantern, Arisia Rrab, once told him that Nitram XII was best described as "2815's neatest kept junkyard", which in reality, was a tongue-in-cheek lie. It was in fact, a veritable scrap heap, filled with downed freighters and ships from all matter of races. Mountains of metal as far as the eyes could see, some still visible even amidst the chalky haze.

"You're sure Romat-Ru is here?" Anan-Su asked, her voice an eerie calm.

"My ring traced several Sinestro Corps members to this location. Romat-Ru may have been one of them," he said.

He felt Anan-Su's warm, bony hands grip one of his shoulders. Tomar-Tu hissed through the corners of his beak at her nails dug into his feathery skin.

"'May have' is _not_ an acceptable answer," she growled. "He's either _here__,_ or he's _not_."

He wrenched his body to the right as her grip tightened. "Arrrgh! I can't say for sure if he is or not! My ring's scanner tracked some of the Sinestro Corps' location to this planet, and that's as far as I know!" Tomar-Tu yelled. "It's not an exact science!"

"Well, do better," she spat. "We haven't got time to waste!"

Expecting for her to slay him then and there, he paused mid-flight. Despite the glower to her eyes, she did not retaliate. Rather, she let him go and allowed him to fly on ahead. Between feeling thankful or concerned right now, he opted for the former.

_Ring __Capacity __at__ 25 __percent__._

At the same time, his power ring was tipping the scales in the direction of the latter. The charge, after tracking and FTL travel between sectors, was bottoming out. He was well aware that if a window of opportunity to escape or request help wasn't going to come up anytime soon, he would have to make one.

And if there was one "escape trick" he'd picked up on from the humans -particularly Gardner and Rayner-, it was to initiate a one-sided conversation.

As they soared through the hazy skies above the junkyard, Tomar-Tu waited until just the right moment to initiate conversation.

"What exactly happened to your niece and nephew?" he asked.

Stopping mid-flight, she glared at him. "_Excuse_ me?"

"Ever since we left Ysmault, I've been thinking about what you said in regards to your niece and nephew," Tomar-Tu explained, halting a foot away from her. He turned to face her. "What ha-"

"Twins, aged five years old." Her hands balled into tight fists. "Zel was the nephew, Ciel was the niece. I was their _Aerieguard_; watching them while my brother, Anan-Dar, and his wife ran their floral shop. I had other priorities one day, so my brother stayed home to watch them. They went off to play with some of their friends that same afternoon."

The red light in her eyes faded. Her blood-red eyes shed no tears; yet the scrunch of her brow, beak corners pursed, and the way her shoulders trembled were a pitiful substitute.

Her voice had lost its acerbic edge. "They never came back home."

Tomar-Tu felt a pang of remorse in his chest. For a fleeting moment, he nearly regret his intent to escape.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Anan-Su ignored him by instead eyeing the palm of her right hand. "We eventually found them, and their friends, lying dead at the base of a cliff near Cori-Dae Lake. My brother's family was torn with grief. Dar was so distraught, he attempted to end his life," she continued.

Anan-Su inspected the red ring that rested on her middle finger. "And that was when everything changed."

Tomar-Tu nodded slowly. "Forgive me for asking this, but was it actually proven it was Romat-Ru who killed them? I'm in no way trying to diminish the pain you feel. Believe me, I know what it's like to lose a family member to murder. But Romat-Ru typically kidnaps his victims and _hides_ their bodies. He doesn't leave them out in the open like that."

"The killer was never found. I have every right to suspect it was that bastard, though." Anan-Su's beak curled into a snarl. "Who else on Xudar is known for killing the innocents among our people?" Blood trickled down from the sides of her mouth. "Besides, even if he didn't, he still has to pay for what he's done. No exceptions!"

"If he's one of the reasons for your rage, then what will you do once you kill him?" Tomar-Tu asked. "Surely, you can't hold on to that rage forever."

Her eyes lit up. Veins bulged around her eye sockets. "I'll continue to protect the innocent, that's what I'll do," she snapped. "Even if that bastard is dead, that doesn't mean the unjust crimes against children will stop completely. There's children who _need_help and protection. Not just on Xudar; but everywhere in the galaxy!"

"But you _don__'__t _have to do that with brutal violence! There are other ways you can help abused and neglected children," Tomar-Tu insisted. "You could become a Child Protect-"

Anan-Su waved her hand in his direction. "I have my reasons. My rage is _far _more useful than pushing papers behind a desk and being stonewalled by bureaucratic red tape. Atrocitus gave me a gift, and it's one I _don__'__t _plan to squander. I intend to be the salvation of those who cannot defend themselves, just as you pride yourself on being the protector of our sector," she hissed through a gritted beak.

Gripping him by the collar, Anan-Su stared at him intently.

"This conversation is _over_," she barked. She shoved him away. "Now find Romat-Ru so we can be done with this."

Without warning, her ring blinked. Gauging her less-than-neutral reaction, Tomar-Tu could tell she was not in the mood to speak with the others in her group, including Atrocitus, whom she highly revered.

"This better be good," she grumbled. She held aloft her hand, turning her attention away from him. "Anan-Su reporting in, what is it?"

He recognized the translucent individual as Bleez. It was hard to not recognize her, as her distinctive bone wings and cowl set her apart from the others in their Corps.

"_Bleez_," Anan-Su grumbled with contempt. "What do _you_ want?"

"Atrocitus has yet to return from his little adventure with the Indigo Tribe. He sent me back to get reinforcements," said Bleez. "Razer told me you decided to go on your own little adventure, too, hm? One that included bringing a Green Lantern to Ysmault?"

Tomar-Tu observed as Anan-Su spewed blood at the hologram out of frustration.

"That's between Atrocitus and I," she roared. "not you!"

Sensing an opportunity to escape, Tomar-Tu edged away from the area. He held his breath, hoping that none of them would notice. Anan-Su seemed to be more wrapped up in exchanging barbs with her immediate superior anyhow.

"Fair enough. I know how personal vendettas are. But a involving a Green Lantern? You are either very brave, or very stupid." Bleez placed a pointed fingernail to her lower lip. "I'm leaning more towards the 'stupid' end of the scale."

Anan-Su made a guttural noise that was a mix between a growl and snort. "S_hove __it__!_ I'll accept full responsibility for what happens with the Green Lantern. Not that you need to worry. I've practically got him wrapped around my fingers at this point."

"You may want to check your fingers, then." Bleez chortled.

An explosion rang in the distance. Tomar-Tu's head jerked to the side, realizing his departure had not gone unnoticed.

With his heart pounding feverishly inside his chest, he forced himself to remain collected. Tomar-Tu sped downward into the canyon, and flew as fast as he could. A cursory glance behind him showed that his captor had not yet caught up with him, but the light from her outburst nearly blinded him.

"You..." Anan-Su spat, her voice echoing throughout the valley. "_YOU__..._" Her screams became garbled, with only scant few words being decipherable. Most which were xudarian epithets. "_YOU __BASTARD__! __HOW __DARE __YOU__! __HOW __DARE __YOU __GO __AGAINST __YOUR __WORD__!_"

_Ring __Capacity __at__ 15 __percent__._

With little power to spare, Tomar-Tu landed on the ground and took off running.

Holding his ring up to eye level, he contacted the first person he could think of.

"Kyle! Kyle!" He shook his hand. "By Ion's light, answer me!"

* * *

_**Sector**__** 0, **__**Oa**_

"Rayner, I do believe it is time for your scheduled break." The four-armed alien tapped a screen to his upper right. "You have forty-five minutes allotted for one meal, then you have one hour left of service."

Kyle floated down from the rafters above, holding the pail and sponge in both hands. "And then I'm free to go after that?"

He could see Salaak roll his beady eyes. "Yes."

"Awesome." Kyle slapped his hands together in anticipation. "Uh, I didn't bring a lunch, so I'm gonna head over to the cafeteria." He thumbed in the direction of the door. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Salaak sighed. "It will only be a problem if you lollygag and lose track of time, as I fully suspect you will do. I will have no choice but to add however many minutes over you waste to the last hour of your servi-"

Kyle's ring beeped, startling both of them.

_Incoming __transmission __from __Lantern __Tu__._

"Tomar! Where have you been?" Kyle exclaimed, as he turned his ring on. "You haven't checked in at all since you left!"

"Sorry, Kyle! I had to contact the first person I could think of," the xudarian said through heavy breathing. "Is Salaak there?"

Salaak's lower right hand gripped Kyle's wrist. "I am here." His voice was calm, but firm. "Lantern Tu, what is your current status?"

He dragged Kyle over to his work station, hooking his ring up to the largest of the screens present. Upon projecting the transmission to a larger screen, both watched as Tomar-Tu weaved through a row of rash piles.

"You know that Red Lantern? She jumped me back on Xudar. Took me to Ysmault." Tomar-Tu paused to catch his breath. "It gets worse after that."

"She abducted you? Most distressing." Salaak scrunched his brow as a flurry of fingers tapped and pressed the glowing screens that surrounded him. "I'm getting a reading that your ring's capacity is lingering around ten percent. Where's your power battery?"

"_Really_, Salaak?" Tomar-Tu snapped. "You _honestly_ think they would let me take one of those to their homeworld?"

"Hm. Point taken." The slyggian pressed buttons all around him. "I've traced your location to sector 2815.I will relay a distress signal to Lantern Arisia. Doubtful a Red Lantern would be capable of tracking you by ring-"

"With all due respect, sir," said Tomar-Tu, under heavy breathing. He pulled back from off-screen a hand, and was now gasping for air as blood oozed between his fingertips. "I think we've sorely underestimated their intelligence."

Kyle and Salaak stared at one another for a second, bewildered.

"What do you mean by that, Tomar?" Kyle inquired.

"What if they're not as mindless as we've come to believe they are?" Tomar-Tu coughed. He wiped away blood from his mouth. "What if-"

Salaak pointed a finger at the xudarian. "With as low of a ring charge, your first priority should not be pontificating absurd notions, and instead be finding shelter until Arisia arrives. How you go about that, I leave to your discretion."

* * *

_**Sector**__** 2815; **__**Nitram **__**XII**_

Without a second thought, Tomar-Tu switched off his ring. His torn uniform disappeared into thin air. He had little time to be embarrassed over the fact he only had on shorts and a long, hip-length tunic he'd worn to bed.

The pebbles and trash cut and poked his bare feet and legs as he ran. He felt blood trickling down one of his calves. It was either suffer that, or use his natural ability to fly and run the risk of being seen and brought down from the air by way of acidic vomit. Tomar-Tu had quickly decided that, in the current situation, cuts and scrapes on his feet were negligible at best.

"_YOU __LIAR__!_" He could hear garbled screaming intermixed with the words. "_YOU__'__LL __PAY __FOR __GOING __BACK __ON __YOUR __WORD__, __LANTERN__! __**YOU**__**'**__**LL **__**PAY**__**!**_"

Climbing over toppled crates and side-stepping shattered glass; Tomar-Tu felt his heart skip several beats as the shrill cry of Anan-Su echoed in the distance.

After several more minutes of aimless running, Tomar-Tu ended up a clearing besides a slope, with no visible shelter.

"There has to be a place I can hide!" Tomar-Tu exclaimed.

Tomar-Tu fell to his knees. Not out of any sort of despair or hopelessness, but out of exhaustion. His lungs ached, and his limbs felt rubberized. The xudarian didn't want to give up. He refused himself to even entertain the very thought. Those were not traits of a Green Lantern, especially those of his father.

Though he had grown up not knowing Tomar-Re as his father during the formative years, he had heard of his exploits and legendary feats. And surrendering all hope in dire situations was not what he was known for. And that would not be something Tomar-Tu wanted to be known for, either.

"Come on, Tu. You survived the Manhunters. The Sinestro Corps War. Even the Black Lanterns!" He told himself as he rose from the rocky ground. His knees buckled, yet he was determined to stand, one way or the other. "One Red Lantern should _not_ be giving you this much trouble!"

He walked towards the cliff's edge, while wiping sweat from his brow. Out in the horizon, he could see an illuminated red dot flying haphazardly, coupled with the occasional explosion.

One such explosion wasn't too far, and from a chain reaction, caused a minor earthquake.

With weakened legs, Tomar-Tu could not maintain balance, and fell down. He found himself rolling down the slope of the cliffside, which may or may not have had a large plate of metal buried beneath it, he couldn't tell. A scream attempted to come out of his mouth, but no sound could be made. The air was sucked clean from his lungs until he came to a rolling stop.

Once he regained his bearings, Tomar-Tu happened upon a makeshift cavern before him, formed from the remnants of commuter-class starships, with half of one ship submerged in water that was colored a repulsive-looking orange-brown mix. Sketch as it was, -and not very sturdy in appearance- it would provide temporary cover, he thought, however dangerous it appeared on the outside.

Another explosion rang in the distance.

"_I__'__LL __MAKE __YOU __SCREAM__, __LANTERN__!_" Anan-Su shrieked."_**I**__**'**__**LL **__**RIP **__**YOUR **__**HEART **__**OUT **__**FROM **__**YOUR **__**CHEST**__**!**_"

Without warning, Tomar-Tu experienced a brief flashback to the torture he'd suffered at the hands of the Manhunters on Biot so many years ago. His blood ran cold as he unwittingly recalled the brutalities he endured. Metal claws raking across flesh. Electrical shocks at any given moment. His overall person, violated in ways he had long suppressed in the depths of his memory.

"_I__'__LL __PLUCK __EACH __FEATHER __FROM __YOUR __WINGS __AND __**TEAR **__**THE **__**FLESH **__**FROM **__**YOUR **__**BONES**__**, **__**LANTERN**__**!"**_

Stumbling inside, Tomar-Tu happened upon a side room off to the right. It was dark, and half underwater. There was at least several crates stacked up just high enough, so that they were above the sludge water. It would have to do, he thought.

The water, however gross, was a welcome shot of cold against his feathery skin. With what little energy he had left to spare, Tomar-Tu hoisted himself on top of the crates. He pressed an arm against the wall to maintain balance as the crates bobbed precariously in the water.

Feeling that he was in a safe spot, the xudarian allowed himself to let his guard down. Curling up into a fetal position, Tomar-Tu pressed his right hand over his chest. All he could do now, was wait -and hope- for Arisia's timely arrival.

* * *

_**Sector**__** 2815, **__**Graxos **__**IV**__** (**__**Surface**__**)**_

As she spoke with the blue and black clad slyggian, Arisia Rrab did her best to contain her joy at having a Blue Lantern in her sector. Up until that morning, Arisia was only familiar with the Blue Lanterns in a passing sense. She'd crossed paths with a couple of them on some occasions -namely, their leader, Saint Walker-, but not often enough for her to be intimately familiar with their _modus __operandi_. All she could infer, from what Kyle Rayner had said, was that they could recharge their power rings without need of a battery.

"How does it feel to be one of them, Sister?" Arisia asked. "I know when I first joined my Corps, it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Though... I'm guessing your group probably doesn't have to go through boot camp."

Tariro's lips pursed together, indicating deep thought. "Well, seeing as I've only been an official one for a whole day, I'm afraid I'll have to get back to you on that one. I will say this," she floated up into the air. "being a Child Protection caseworker _never_ gave me the opportunity to learn how to fly!"

Arisia could tell this was to be the beginning of a good partnership between the two of them. After all, how many Green Lanterns could say they had a Blue Lantern in their sector at this point in time?

The second she opened her mouth to speak, -once the laughter tapered off long enough for her to catch her breath-, the familiar beeping of Arisia's ring brought everything to a screeching halt. Even Tariro was aware of the sudden mood shift, and her expression changed to one of concern.

"Excuse me, I've gotta answer this," she said. Arisia held up her hand to below eye level. "What's the situation, Salaak?"

The translucent image of Salaak took a second to respond, as she knew he happened to catch a glimpse of Tariro standing beside her, judging by the fleeting look of disgust on his face.

"Lantern Arisia, I'm forwarding a distress signal from Lantern Tu's ring," said Salaak. "He and a Red Lantern are currently in your sector, on Nitram XII."

Her eyes widened. "A Red Lantern, here? Wait..." Arisia scrunched her brow. "_What_ happened to Tomar-Tu?"

"All I could infer from him was that he'd been captured by this Red Lantern and held captive on Ysmault for the five hours he was incommunicado. He was unable to divulge further details at the time I'd spoken to him." Salaak then pointed at the Blue Lanterns. His voice became pointed. "You are to cease dallying with _them_ and assist Lantern Tu at once."

The hologram of Salaak then vanished. Arisia pressed a hand against her brow. This day became a lot more complicated, she thought.

_Arisia__. __Sector__ 2815. __Intel __Uploaded_.

"Miss Rrab, I understand your organization's leadership does not fully trust us just yet." said Sepdifer. "However, Sister Tariro and I are willing to help you and your teammate in whatever way we are able to."

"I appreciate the offer, but one of them alone is dangerous enough. And while this would be a good opportunity for hands-on experience, with one of _them_ involved," She gestured a thumb in Tariro's direction. "I don't want to put her in mortal danger so soon."

"With all due respect, ma'am, I'm _perfectly_ capable of taking care of myself!" Tariro said in a polite, but stern manner. "I might not have ever gone to boot camp, and I'm pretty weak with firearms, but I do know some self-defense techniques!"

Arisia couldn't help but laugh. "Spoken like a true slyggian."

"Besides, we can charge up your rings, right?" Tariro added. "Well, with the two of us, you and your friend will be able to stop that Red Lantern before you can say 'grizzlespit'!"

Sepdifer rested his hands upon Tariro's lower shoulders. "Miss Rrab, time for your friend is running out. Allow us to help you. _Please_."

Realizing that her newfound allies would not take 'No' for an answer, Arisia charged up her ring. "Alright. Nitram XII isn't that far. Stay close to me at all times until we find Tomar-Tu. When we do," she pointed to Tariro "I want you to stay with him while Brother Sepdifer and I take care of the Red Lantern. Got it?"

The Blue Lanterns nodded as they too charged up their own rings.

Arisia shot upwards to the sky, gesturing for them to follow her. "_Move __out__!_"


End file.
